Searchlight apparatus



E. GRANAT.

SEARCHLIGHT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.8. 191s.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

,32529 @fama UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIE GRANAT, 0F PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 BENARD-BARBER &

TURENNE, 0F PARIS, FRANCE, A FIRM. I

SEARCHLIG-HT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 8, 1918. Serial No. 248,900.

To aZZ whom t may Gomera:

Be it known that I, Enne GRANAT, a citizen of the Republic of Russia, residing at Paris, France, and whose postal address is 134 Faubourg Poissonnire, Paris7 France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Searchlight Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The circumstances which have rendered necessary the laying and observation of the luminous field of electric searchlights on the battlefield also render it necessary to maneuver the beam according to requirements, either from a shelter placed at the foot of the searchlight or from a certain distance.

This circumstance entails the necessity of Y providing the searchlights with a driving mechanism, in which the positions of the op:r`

erating wheels shall remain fixed relative to the 'framework of the apparatus, while the rotary portion can effect the traversing movements which are imparted thereto, both as regards direction e. in the horizontal plane) and elevation (vertical plane).

For this reason, the mechanism controlling the movements as regards elevation is composed of two parts, one of which is fitted in the body (fixed part) and the other in the pedestal (movable portion of the apparatus).

In consequence, when the beam of light is traversed horizontally, that portion of the elevating mechanism which is fixed to the movable part of the apparatus will be caused to move also and will therefore move relative to that portion of the same elevating mechanism which is fixed to the base of the apparatus.

This results in a displacement of the beam of light as regards elevation, unless special vdevices are provided. Moreover, theuse of rope driven electrically or mechanically controlled apparatus renders impossible any angular movement of the elevating wheel when traversing the searchlight horizontally.

The present invention consists in a special arrangement of the mechanism foreffecting the traverse of the beam of light of a searchlight, both as regards elevation and direction, coordinated in such a manner as to prevent the movement as regards direction from causing the elevation of the beam to be disturbed and thereby necessitating a violent rotation of the hand wheel controlling the elevation.

The accompanying drawing illustrates, merely by way of an example, an actuating mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the axis .of a searchlight, partly broken away, provided with the actuating mechanism in question.

Fig. 2 is a detail in plan, partly in horizontal section of a part of the mechanism controlling the movements as regards elevation and direction. Y

F ig. 3 shows a detail of the same mechamsm.

Fig. 4 is a detail of the gearing shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, of the caring shown in Fig. 1.

1, ig. 1, designates the base of the searchlight, in which the sleeve 2 can rotate about a central vertical axis. In the sleeve 2 is mounted the upper movable plate 3 carr ing the pedestal 4 in which the cylinder o the searchlight 5 (of which a portion only is shown) can rotate about a horizontal axis on two trunnioiis 6, one of which onlyv is shown in the drawing.

The horizontal-traverse of the pencil of light as regards horizontal direction, obtained by means of a non-reversible transmission-mechanism, is effected by means of the hand-Wheel '7, Fig. 2. This transmission mechanism consists of an endless screw 8 meshing with a helicoidal wheel 9 mounted on the vertical shaft 10, and of a pinion 11 engaging with a toothed rim 12 fixed on the movable plate 3.

A clutch 13 mounted on the shaft 10 and operated by means of a bent lever 14, permits of releasing the helicoidal wheel 9 from the shaft 1() at will, so as to permit of imparting a rapid and extensive movement to the luminous beam when first seeking the target as regards horizontal traverse.

The final adjustment is effected by operating the hand wheel 7 after havin clutched the helicoidal wheel 9 to the sha t 1Q.

The toothed rim 12 is connected through the intermediary of the pinion 15 keyed or otherwise secured to shaft 10, helicoidal vwheels 16 on same shaft and gear 17 to the sro 19 of the upper toothed rim of the differential connecting the actuating mechanism for horizontal with that for vertical traverse, of which the description follows. The adjustment as regards elevation of the beam is also effected by means of a non-reversible mechanism, of which certain portions belong to the fixed portion of the searchlight, while the others are mounted on the portion of the searchlight which is movable as regards horizontal traverse.

This transmission mechanism is arranged as follows z-A hand wheel 20 actuates, through the intermediary of the bevel pinions 21, 22, the worm 23 and the helicoidal wheel 24 which isl connected to the lower toothed rim 26 of the differential.

The operation of traversing the searchlight as regards elevation is effected as follows z--The helicoidal wheel 24 which is connected to the toothed rim 26 of the differential causes the satellites 27 to move over l the upper toothed rim 25 which is connected by the non-reversible transmission mechanism to the toothed rim 12 of the movable plate 3. The upper toothed rim 25 therefore remains movable so long as there is no movement as regards horizontal traverse. The movement of the satellites 27 is transinitted by the shaft 28 (which rotates f-reely in the hubs of the toothed rims 26 and helicoidal wheels 24) to the bevel wheel 29 and thence, through the bevel wheels 30, 31 and 32, to the central shaft 33. On the upper portion of the shaft 33 is fixed the bevel wheel 34 which transmits the motion to the portion of the transmission mechanism which is on the movable portion of the searchlight and consists of a bevel wheel 35. universal joints 36, 37, a bevel wheel 38 and a bevel quadrant 39 fixed on the trunnions of the reflector-frame of the searchlight.

When the reflector-frame of the searchlight is traversed, the toothed rim 12, through the pinion 15 and the transmission mechanism described above, causes the rotation of the helicoidal wheel 19 and ofthe upper toothed rim 25 of the differential which is connected to this latter.

The movement of the upper toothed rim 25 is transmitted by the intermediary of the satellites 27 described above, to the central shaft 33 of the device for adjusting the elevation.

A suitably chosen transmission ratio will enable the same position to be maintained between the central shaft 33 and the elevating mechanism for the central pivot 2 of the traversing mechanism.

The result is that no change of position of the elevating mechanism, which is on the -\`Inovable portion of the searchlight, takes place relative to that portion which is on the fixed portion of the searchlight.

All the members of the elevating mechanism will have retained their' relative positions and no alteration of the elevation of the beam of light will take place during the traversing of the searchlight.

If the adjusting mechanisms for both elei vating and traversing are actuated s imultaneously, the two toothed rims, upper rim 25 and lower one 26 of the differential, will be set in motion, which will not in any way interfere with the operation of the whole.

The motion of the rim 26 transmits accurately the movement imparted to the handwheel 20, while the movement caused by the shifting of the upper rim 25 serves to correct the displacement of the beam.

This correction is effected automatically by the differential, and the axis of the satellites 27 will be moved according to the difference between the velocities of the two planet-rims of the differential.

A clutch-cone' 40, similar to the clutch 13 for the movement for adjustment as to direction, and actuated by a lever, not shown, permits of uncoupling the pinion 38 from the quadrant 39 at will when first seeking the target.

The above described mechanism for both traversing and elevating the searchlight has the great advantage of not causing a displacement as regards elevation of the beam when the direction of this latter is altered.

This actuating mechanism is especially suitable for operation at a distance:

1. Either by a steel chain or cable (the handwheels are provided with grooves for this purpose, into which the chains or cables can be fitted).

2. Or by electric drive from a servomotor; the position of the motor-shaft enabling the position of the pencil of light to be controlled at a distance.

It will be obvious that the invention is not strictlylimited to the precise arrangements described above and shown in the accompanying drawing, and that the constructional details could be modified in various ways in practice according to circumstances.

The device forming the subject of the present invention could, in a general way, apart from searchlights, be applied to any mechanism in which extensive movements have to be carried out in two planes normal to each other.

I claim:

1. In a control mechanism for a searchlight having a stationary support, a movable pedestal, a traversing mechanism, an elevating mechanism having co-acting parts mounted on the movable pedestal and the stationary support, a differential connecting the traversing and elevating mechanisms adapted to be actuated by said traversing mechanism whereby no relative change of position takes place between the parts of said elevating mechanism during the traversing movement.

9.. A traversing and elevating mechanism for searchlights, comprising a traversing mechanism mounted on the fixed base of the searchlight, an elevating mechanism, said elevating mechanism being mounted partly on the fixed base and partly on the revoluble pedestal, a differential interdependently connecting said elevating mechanism and traversing mechanism, and adapted to correct the elevational displacement caused by the traversing motion.

3. A traversing and elevating mechanism for searchlights and the like, comprising a fixed base and a pedestal movable on said base, a traversing mechanism mounted in the base, an elevating mechanism mounted in said base, a reflector frame mounted on the pedestal, means movable with the pedestal in traverse operatively connecting said reflector frame with said elevating mechanism, and a diEerential connecting said elevating mechanism and said traversing mechanism adapted to compensate for the movement of said means in traverse.

4. An actuating mechanism for searchlights andthe like, comprising a base, a pedestal mounted on said base, means for swinging said pedestal relative to said base, a refiector frame mounted on said pedestal, means for oscillating said frame relative to said pedestal, and a compensating device connecting said pedestal actuating means and said frame actuating means whereby the actuation of said means for swinging the pedestal does not disturb the relative position of said means for oscillating the frame.

5. An actuating mechanism for searchlights and the like, comprising a base, a traversing mechanism mounted in said base, an elevating mechanism mounted in said base, a pedestal revolubly mounted on said base and actuated by said traversing mechanism, a reflector frame mounted on sald pedestal, means for connecting said elevating mechanism to said reflector frame, and a differential mechanism interconnecting said traversing and elevating mechanism whereby the elevating mechanism in said base is operated in phase relation with the movement of said pedestal in traverse without disturbing the adjustment of said means.

6. A traversing and elevating mechanism for searchlights comprising a base, a pedestal member revolubly mounted on said base, means to revolve said pedestal, a lamp-supporting yoke connected to said pedestal, a reflector journaled in said yoke, means carried by the arms of said yoke member coacting with means carried with said refiectorfor adjusting the elevation of said reflector, and means located in said base portion, including a differential adapted to coact with means carried by said pedestal member to permit traversing movement of said reflector without effecting displacement of the elevation thereof.

7. A control mechanism for searchlights and the like having a stationary support and a movable pedestal, an elevating mechanism having co-acting parts mounted on the movable pedestal and the stationary support, means connecting said traversingl and elevating mechanisms including a compensating device adapted to be actuated by said traversing mechanism whereby no relative change of position takes place between the parts of said elevating mechanism during movement of said pedestal in traverse.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of July, 1918.

ELIE GRANAT.

Vitnesses:

LoUIs RINNY, JOHN F. SIMoNs. 

